


Querencia

by Clementines (LuckyLikesLemons), oubaitoori



Category: Winner (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:41:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25437847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyLikesLemons/pseuds/Clementines, https://archiveofourown.org/users/oubaitoori/pseuds/oubaitoori
Summary: FF070: Mino had to bring Jhonny along on a beach trip in Busan with his friends because no one was available to cat-sit his princess at home. Unfortunately, she fell extremely sick in the middle of the night and they had to rush her to the home of the only veterinarian in the area, Kang Seungyoon.
Relationships: Kang Seungyoon/Song Minho | Mino
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28
Collections: WINNER Spring/Summer Fic Fest 2020





	Querencia

**FF070: Querencia  
  
**

A notification flashed across Mino’s phone, followed by a brief whirr from the vibration. It was July 26. The weather for the day was forecasted to be one of the hottest days of the month. Naver had hailed it to be the “Jungbok” of the summer, or the “second hottest day”. Mino habitually furrowed his brows as he read through the news article, and perused some write-ups on the nearby attractions around Haeundae, Busan. He particularly wanted to check out the Space Lee Ufan for some artistic inspiration before getting some decent sunlight at the beach. Mino pulled down the notification menu, and checked the text messages his friends had sent six hours ago. The pickup time today was at the lobby of Mino’s apartment, 5.30 am.

_Kekeke I am here._ _  
_ _Why are we meeting so...early?_

Mino smiled as he continued reading the silly banters between Jihoon and Geonil - two of his closest friends. Jihoon was raving over a decent food find in Busan and proceeded to upload several photographs from the recommended shop; Geonil telling him to stop because the pictures were making him famished at midnight. He lamented about his inner struggles after seeing those tantalising steaming seafood photographs - how he stood at the refrigerator for ten minutes before giving in to a bowl of cereal with milk. Geonil was that goofy character you would never expect to encounter, as he often appeared to be composed and poised.

He tapped on the message box and typed his reply… only to delete the words shortly after. As he was often awake when people were sleeping, Mino reckoned that his severely delayed replies might jolt his friends awake in the middle of their cosy slumber. His friends were understanding - as long as Mino read the message, the message has been duly conveyed.

“Well, I shall just reply to them around 5 am then,” He murmured and traced the black wire on the extension cord to charge his power-bank. Just then, the analogue vintage pocket watch on the wooden table chimed - it was 4 in the morning. 

Mino saved his work on the computer, and scribbled some notes on his notebook to remind himself where he had left off.

_26 July_ _  
_ _Figure out the part between 2:52 and 3:01._ _  
_ _Outro is incomplete.  
Bridge sounds choppy.  
Check the hook again. _

He was going through a brief period of creative roadblock - his new demo sounded partially off. An element was missing and he could not quite figure out what the final piece of the puzzle was. He stepped out of his chair and took up a paintbrush. Mino let out a frustrated sigh as he stared blankly into the white canvas. There was a huge gap in his inspiration pool and he wanted to fill it up as quickly as possible.

The bright table lamp under the wooden table cast a gigantic moving silhouette of a pair of pointy ears across the room - it was Jhonny, Mino’s most cherished feline.

Jhonny sat by the ajar door, her head slightly tilted as she studied her owner’s crinkled t-shirt, tousled hair and his back view - Mino must have been suffering from writer’s block. She was not too concerned about that - Mino will find a way out, he always does. She tiptoed past the door and sat down again, her fluffy orange tail now stroking the floor in minute taps. Jhonny knew that her owner had a very keen sense of hearing, and that was exactly how she has always captured his attention. A sudden purr might startle him and cause him to forget what he was thinking about - soft taps were not too intrusive, yet adequately enough to lull him over. Sure enough, he turned after three taps. There was a soft chuckle, as if it was her owner’s way of saying. _Ah, there you are._

“Oh!” Mino’s wide round eyes lit up. Jhonny always seemed to know every single time Mino was struggling with something. He once read about cats having a sixth sense, and he was almost convinced Jhonny had the hidden ability to detect brain waves. Jhonny may not have the ability to speak but her presence alone comforted Mino in the roughest of times.

“Jhonny-ya, it’s so early right now. Why are you awake?” He pursed his lips and lifted his princess. Jhonny looked away as Mino gave her a peck on her right cheek.

“Are you looking forward to the road trip?” Mino carried Jhonny in his arms, and moved lazily to the living room. He had about two hours left before his friends picked him up. Jhonny must have anticipated to spend one full day with her owner and that was why she was up early. The stylist who was supposed to cat-sit Jhonny had to take her kids to clam-fishing, and Mino did not want to impose on his manager since it was a day off for the both of them.

Jhonny broke free from Mino’s arms and walked to the kitchen, where the cat litter was. Her muddle-headed owner followed closely behind. Jhonny stopped by the lower drawer diagonally under the kitchen sink, where the cat food was. She looked up and stared into Mino for a few seconds before it all clicked.

  
Food for the road trip. Jhonny’s necessities. 

“Ah, right! I need to pack your stuff for the trip too!” Mino ran into the spare room and took out a bag. He started talking to himself, ”Okay you are a cat, and you cannot eat food in Busan...so I have to pack this, and this...and this!” Soon after, there was a towering stack of canned food, treats, toys, bottled water, cat litter, etc... on the counter table at the kitchen.

He then received an extremely long text notification from his stylist, somewhat just in time to save his shoulders from breaking. His stylist preferred to call him by his last name.

“Song! I hope you have not left the house! Do NOT bring so many things for Jhonny! It is going to be less than three days! She just needs her treats, and some canned cat food. Jhonny doesn’t have a voracious appetite, so you will be fine! Give her treats when she’s nice! Sometimes she scratches the sofa, so never leave her alone on the upholstery! No milk! Bring that portable cat litter box, I bought that for you!

P.S: Jhonny is quite the connoisseur - get fresh meat from the supermarket and cook them at the apartment’s kitchen if she rejects the can. She loves corn too. Serve them warm! Make sure she can digest the food properly! Don’t worry too much! Have fun, Song!“

“Noona…” Mino was feeling teary-eyed from her anxious wall of text. He always called her “Jhonny’s Grandmother” as she paid close attention to Jhonny’s nutritional needs, and she goes on and on whenever Mino neglects Jhonny due to work. Mino occasionally felt that perhaps he was merely another visitor in Jhonny’s life, as the stylist had definitely spent more time with her.

“Thank you, Noona! Song will take good care of Her Royal Highness Jhonny! I promise!” Mino replies to his stylist in his signature cheeky tone, addressing himself in third-person. He zipped up the bag and prepared the cat carrier and portable cat litter, before heading to the wardrobe to ponder about his outfits for the next three days.

“The weather is going to be sweltering, so light and airy it shall be,” Mino pranced back and forth in his cramped walk-in wardrobe room. Amongst the myriad of clothes, Mino handpicked dungarees, a work apron, a floral scarf, basic-coloured collared tops, thin long-sleeved tops, caps, half-beanies, a straw hat, orange socks, four sunglasses and one pair of baggy pants. He tried a few other options and pondered hard if he should change into a larger suitcase to fit all his clothes. While he was one to put a lot of thought and consideration into the outfits worn every single day, Mino was never fond of planning ahead. He had always preferred to change into something to match that day’s weather, or his mood. He was picturing outfits to complement the clear cerulean skies of Haeundae, and a slightly downcast one in the event the weather takes a sudden change for the worst. Mino even planned for a fashionable outfit that would match foggy or windy weather - he was _that_ meticulous when it came to making style statements.

“More accessories, just in case. I need books too. Ah, my tablet as well,” Mino ended up with a bulging 24-inch suitcase for a 3D2N trip to Busan. He packed his toiletries and fetched his everyday tote bag. If one hadn’t known where he was heading to, one would have simply thought Mino was embarking on a 3-week trip to Europe - he looked exactly like he was planning to migrate somewhere for a long break. The time now read as 5.05 AM - it was the perfect time to send a message to the group chat. Everyone should be awake by now, and that his pings would also notify his friends that he was awake.

_“Rise and shine, put your hands up!_ _  
_ _Are y’all ready? Kekeke._ _  
_ _See you in the lobby!”_

Jihoon, the energiser bunny, replied almost immediately.

  
“ _Wassup bro! We are about ten minutes away from your house.  
Do you need breakfast? Coffee?  
We will deliver to your house, friend!  
Free of charge!” _

There was a voice recording that followed shortly after the message. It was Geonil’s laidback voice. He was taking the wheel and could not respond via texting.

“Princess Jhonny, do you need anything as well?” Jihoon’s roaring laughter was heard in the recording, 

Mino giggled. He was so thankful that his friends did not mind Jhonny tagging along. Both Jihoon and Geonil were the kind of friends that Mino had no qualms with whenever he had a favour to ask. Similarly, Mino always made sure he was always there for the both of them, whenever they needed him.  
  


“ _Coffee sounds great_ . _I also need sleep. Hahaha.”_   
  


Mino realised that he has not slept for 28 hours straight. His eyesight was slightly bleary, his eye bags felt heavy but the adrenaline rush from music-making had ignored the flow of time. He previously pulled two all-nighters at the recording studio the week before. The Busan trip was definitely a much-needed recharge after accumulating so much fatigue. Mino placed Jhonny carefully into the cat carrier and went down to the apartment’s parking lot. He waved at the white car with blinking headlights and laughed heartily when Jihoon started a freestyle rap about a man with a cat. Mino climbed to the back of the car and positioned the cat carrier properly.

As the car cruised through the highway, Mino realised that this was his first time taking Jhonny out on a trip, and that she was showing signs of anxiety. He did quite a bit of homework on travelling with pets - the dos and the don'ts. Despite all of that intensive reading on pet care, he was almost sure that reality never works out the way he wants to. Jhonny was probably equally as uneasy as he was. Mino checked frequently to see if Jhonny was feeling stressed out, and he made sure she drank sufficient water. 

The Busan trip seemed to start off on a perfect note. The sky was azure, with streaks of white clouds. Highway tolls were waived due to an ongoing campaign to encourage local tourism. The apartment that Mino’s friends had booked faced the majestic rolling waves of Haeundae from a comfortable distance. Mino allowed Jhonny to settle within a confined perimeter of the living room, away from any upholsteries that she might end up scratching. Jhonny got used to the new place quicker than he had expected as it was similar to the apartment he was currently living in. Jihoon and Geonil left the apartment to explore a hiking trail in Jangsan. Mino decided to work on his song after making sure Jhonny was fed, and well-hydrated.

Hours passed and night fell, the fluorescent light seemed so much brighter in the room than it was before. Mino had made massive improvements to the melody of the demo he was working on. Feeling somewhat accomplished, he jotted down sketches of possible future ideas, which included lyric inspiration from a poetry book that he had brought along with him. Jhonny would be seen occasionally near the cat litter, or she would be fidgeting slightly upon realising the change in environment. She appeared to be looking at Mino for a while, before prancing up and down the living room. The smell of the apartment’s furniture seemed to bother her, but her owner was deeply engrossed with his work. There was a faint scent of something foreign, and Jhonny found it perplexing that she could not figure out if she was adapting well to it. As long as Mino was there next to her, things should be fine. Even so, the irregular palpitating sounds of her own heartbeat worried Jhonny.

Jihoon and Geonil then returned to the apartment with takeouts and some dinner ingredients from the supermarket. The apartment was revived with their energetic greetings. Jhonny hid behind the wall, and peeked occasionally at the kitchen as Mino made her warm dinner as comfort food.

“Jhonny, come over!” Mino called out from the kitchen as he carefully plated Jhonny’s bowl with tiny deli strips. There was no response. Jihoon and Geonil washed the plates and cutlery, and set the table.

“Where’s Jhonny?” Jihoon stretched his neck out. There was no sign of Mino’s furry friend.

“Jhonny-ya,” Mino dried his hands on a piece of cloth and walked to the spot where he last spotted Jhonny. She seemed to have disappeared.

“Guys, Jhonny’s missing. I can’t find her. She always comes over whenever I call her name,” Mino started to search for his friend under the sofa, then the TV rack. Jihoon and Geonil joined the search. They ventured into the rooms, and checked for the corners - places where Jhonny were commonly fond of.

Mino feared for the worst. The apartment was on the fortieth floor, and he made extra precaution to secure all windows. Doors were kept shut too. Jhonny should still be in the living room. He approached the curtains, the last spot of the living room, and lifted it with much haste. Jhonny was lying motionless in the gap between the curtains and the teak side-table. She had no visible injuries. Mino scrambled for his phone to search for a veterinarian, but the ones in the vicinity were closed on Sundays. He scoured for one as he widened the radius, and found a 24-hour vet that was located up northeast, an hour’s drive away. Mino scrolled frantically for the vet’s number and dialled.

An impassive voice answered the hotline after several rings, as if the person on the other side was extremely reluctant to receive the call.

“Hello? Aloha Animal Hospital,” The male receptionist kept his greeting curt.

“H...Hello?” Mino choked on his words anxiously.

“May I help you? Deep.. breaths, “ The emotionless yet deep voice was somewhat comforting to hear, despite the lack of intonation. Mino had an extremely keen sense of hearing, and he particularly noticed how composed each syllable sounded. The exhaled breath that reached Mino’s ears felt like a brief melody.

“ My...My cat. She’s not moving!” Mino’s tears were falling out uncontrollably as he described the situation. He could not find a way to maintain composure. It was his first time seeing Jhonny like that. His panicked breaths were erratic, and his words were not even coming out in proper order. Even his attempt to take deep breaths jeopardised the breathing rhythm, and he was more anxious than before. 

“She… I don’t know… Peeking out, and then …Oh dear, what happened… Jhonny-ya don’t scare me…” Mino was speaking incoherently. Geonil had dashed down to the parking lot to start the car; Jihoon was all ready to leave the house. He signalled for Mino to put Jhonny into the cat carrier.

“... Where are you? Come over to the hospital.” 

“O...oh, we are on the way!” Mino pressed the elevator buttons repeatedly.

“Jhonny, right?” His voice rang in Mino’s ears, as the lift doors opened. The receptionist managed to remember Jhonny’s name from that brief verbal exchange.

“She will be fine,” The voice assured Mino in the most unexpected way ever. It gave him enough strength to worry less, and to make sure Jhonny reaches the pet hospital in time.

Aloha Animal Hospital was relatively remote - it was located on a hill. The entrance was semi-covered with trees. The hospital itself was lined with large see-through windows, which would have looked like a very chic cafe in the day. There was a dimly-lit quaint stone path to the petite clinic. A bespectacled tall man with a petite frame walked out with his stethoscope stuffed abruptly in the left side pocket. He looked up as his glasses slipped down to the middle of his nose. Mino was instantaneously reminded of a puppy with those big eyes. The vet was rather cute.

“Jhonny, right.” The vet bent down and did a quick check. Mino recognised the voice - it was the same comforting voice he spoke to earlier. Jhonny was still breathing, she was only unconscious. Her breathing was irregular and weak… but she was not exactly “motionless”, as previously described by her petrified owner. The vet took a glance at Mino, whose wavering eyes and trembling fingers left quite an impression in his mind. He organised the words in his head in a way that would not cause further panic.

“Go to the waiting area. A jab will make her all better,” The vet took over the cat carrier and walked promptly into the hospital. Mino followed closely behind. Jihoon tapped Mino’s right elbow and handed him a credit card. 

The waiting area of the hospital was primarily grey, and was designed like an art space. It was spacious, and the ceilings were high. The laminated cement flooring gave off a very natural concrete feel, and perfectly complemented with the warm filament lighting. The white sofa was above a chestnut-coloured rug, and faced a wide-screen television. There was a long wooden table at the side and a very stylish black coffee-machine. Quite contrary to most pet hospitals, the scent of coffee was predominant in the waiting area. One could probably enjoy the lush scenery as they gaze out of the large windows that surrounded the perimeter of the waiting room.

Mino sat down on the sofa with Jihoon.

“I told Geonil about the situation already. He will wait for us in the car,” Jihoon assured Mino.

“It’s your well-deserved holiday, Jihoon. I have imposed upon the two of you enough. You should be heading back first,” Mino shook his head. “You have already done so much for us! Head home and rest first. Jhonny and I will be fine here,” he continued. 

“But!” Jihoon retorted. “It’s an hour’s drive from our apartment! Alright, how about this? I will head over to the car and wait with Geonil there. You can stay here, in the hospital. Give us a call when you want us to pick you up,” Jihoon reckoned that Mino probably wants to be left alone and respected his friend’s decision.

“Okay,” Mino nodded. He waved goodbye to Jihoon and walked to where the examination room was. The muted white lights of the examination room turned off and the vet walked towards Mino. It was the first time that Mino had the opportunity to observe the facial features of the pale-skinned vet - he had a slightly unkempt fringe set against a pair of balanced eyebrows. His nose bridge was straight and his left cheekbone was particularly distinct. His right chiselled jaw-line and the pair of faint rose sultry lips were staring straight into Mino’s direction. Mino found himself studying the anatomy of the vet’s neck with great detail, for it was where the voice came from. The vet was visibly thin, his neck appeared to be longer because of that, his collar bone protruding from the unbuttoned collar. In short, the vet was quite dashing.

Mino’s eyes trailed to where the name badge should have been on the vet’s uniform. There was nothing on the left pocket except the logo of the pet hospital. There was no way he would know of the vet’s name unless he asked for it.

“Jhonny, “ The vet took a quick glance at Mino, and looked away as if avoiding eye-contact. He barely had any facial expression. He was, however, very articulate with his words.

“Jhonny’s fine. She had an allergic reaction to varnish. She is also showing signs of anxiety. I would suggest putting her here for the night. As long as her vitals stabilise by the next hour, she is good to go. I will suggest leaving her here for observation before I discharge her,” He paused for a while and studied the facial expressions of the cat’s owner. He was still in a suppressed state of shock.

“By any chance, do you need coffee?” The vet asked, out of the blue. He took off his doctor’s robe, placed it on the counter by the entrance, and walked to the black coffee-machine. As he nonchalantly pushed the buttons of the machine, he observed how Mino sat at the wooden table. His fingers were thin and long, the back of his palms looked dry. There was acrylic paint on the right thumb - _an artist, perhaps?_ _Did he accidentally expose his cat to varnish?_ This young man in front of him had a fantastic sense of trendsetting fashion. He was wearing a half-black long-sleeved jacket, where the left pocket and the back of the jacket were filled with white checkered lines. He paired that look with black denim pants, and grey sneakers. He had a very good body proportion and very pleasant facial features. The cat owner also had visibly dark shadows under the eye but they were quickly being overlooked upon, as his cheekbones were garnering attention. It was probably rare for the vet to come across such an attractive-looking person in this remote town.

“Yeah, coffee would be great,” Mino pulled the coffee mug closer to his lips. The aroma of coffee and the piping warm sensation of freshly brewed coffee worked wonders. His once-trembling fingers were thawed as he wrapped them around the mug of coffee.

The vet took a seat across Mino, with a coffee in his right hand.

“She’s alright. You do not have to worry,” The vet looked straight into the eyes of Mino. Being an occupational hazard, he found it very hard not to observe the person in front of him. Mino was like an open book - every single bit of emotion was written on his face. The almond-brown irises were shaking and shifted to the left twice before it darted to the right. There was a brief moment in time when it was made up of deep breaths, as if it was Mino telling himself to calm down. There was an inexplicable feeling welling up in the vet’s heart - he wants to know everything about this person, _right now._ It then dawned upon the vet that…

The subject sitting ahead of him was curiously fascinating. He had a myriad of expressions that the vet was incapable of producing.

“You probably have to notify your friends too? They arrived with you, did they not?” The vet broke the silence, startling Mino. He examined 

“Y… Yeah, I’ll give them a call,” Mino fumbled with his phone as he called Geonil.

“Jhonny is fine. I will take her home in an hour or so! I will get a cab, please go home, wash up and rest! Have a quick dinner too!” Mino announced energetically, sounding particularly relieved. He was seen nodding away before he hung up the phone. 

“What is your name, Doctor? I have to thank you for all that you have done for us,” Mino eagerly waited for his name. There was no way of finding it out unless he took the initiative to ask.

“Kang, is my last name,” The vet replied calmly  
“ I left the name tag at the reception desk when you called, “

“Doctor Kang, Jhonny and I are very thankful,” Mino stood up and bowed in gratitude.

“We do look like we are of similar age,” The vet appeared to look very uncomfortable with the formality. He stood up as well, and reached out his right hand. 

“Seung...Seungyoon,” He muttered shyly. Seungyoon was wondering if he should ask for his name as well.

“Nice to meet you, Seungyoon-shi! Mino! I am Mino, or if it’s very awkward for you... you can always call me Jhonny’s Appa,” Mino introduced in a cheerful manner, pointing to himself as he said his own name.

“I am fine. Mino is a nice name. It has a very nice ring to it,” Seungyoon replied politely. He was struggling to extend the conversation but he was not very good at talking to people.

“Are you from this area?” Mino initiated a new conversational topic, much to Seungyoon’s delight. Mino was probably curious about the vet too. After all, the vet was very poised and dignified, his frank replies were logical and well-thought of. His words sounded extremely concise too.

“Yeah. I lived here all my life,”

“I see. We are supposed to tour Busan tomorrow, but with this going on, I will have to stay indoors,”

“I see,” Seungyoon peered down at his coffee mug, and took another sip. He seemed lost in thought, searching for the right words to say to a person whom he has barely met for less than an hour. He was still apprehensive, that Mino might not be who he seemed, despite detecting friendly vibes. The air around Mino felt warm, and it was something Seungyoon has not felt in a while. Seungyoon was a man of few words as he preferred to take his time to think his sentences through before he delivers them out in speech - more often than not, this had led to people thinking that he disliked talking. He was also very sensitive to vibes and could easily tell if he was welcomed in a group or not.

“May I ask if you...” Mino uttered his question halfway and stopped in his tracks. He was not sure of the distance that he should be keeping. Mino often likened meeting new people to cats - if you get too close suddenly, they run away. Seungyoon is probably a very shy cat, from the way he interacts with people.

“If I…?” Seungyoon looked up, his bright eyes filled with curiosity.

“Want to be friends?” Mino asked meekly. He was not sure why he felt shy to pop the question but a part inside him wanted to spend more time with this person. 

Slightly taken aback, Seungyoon had never felt anything like that in his life. Never once in his life, had he wanted to talk to a human being for more than five minutes; Never once in his life, had he wished that time would slow down a little more. He could not stop looking at Mino, and he tried to do so in quick glances.

“Yeah… sounds great,” He replied.

“Would… would you like more coffee?” He asked, gesturing to Mino’s now empty coffee mug. It was a feeble attempt at prolonging the stay.

“Sure!” Mino gleefully handed over his cup. 

As if his presence was almost blinding, Seungyoon sometimes wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him. Mino shone, in some way or another. He brightened up the living room just by sitting there, and the place seemed to spring to life. As Seungyoon pushed the buttons on the coffee machine, he stole a few more glances. Mino looked really tall, and it could be because he knew how to bring his proportions out well through his somewhat quirky eye for fashion - he was decked in a beige work-apron paired with vintage jeans. He had a hibiscus-print teal collared shirt under that work-apron. There were three brand-new paint-brushes sticking out of the pocket with no apparent use for them - they just appear to be accessories. He managed to mesh jarringly contrasting colours with his brightly coloured hair. Even his choice of sneakers were unique - they were hand painted. He was looking at the vinyl records beside the vintage gramophone. He pointed to the one of Fleetwood Mac’s, and asked, “Is it okay if I take a closer look at this?”

“Do… you like them?” Seungyoon asked, and brought the refilled mug to the table.

“Well, I like a few songs. My mother loved them. I listened to them when I was a kid. She loved listening to a wide range of music, and while she barely knew the meaning to the lyrics to English songs, she exposed me to these bands from a very young age...,” Mino explained as he studied the back of the Fleetwood Mac vinyl. 

“I like bands,” Seungyoon replied. 

“You do? I like a wide range of music genres. I do listen to bands too. Queen, The Killers, Arcade Fire, Anberlin, just to name a few …,” Mino was happy that the conversation kept going, and that the initial awkwardness detected from Seungyoon was starting to erode away. Music was one of Mino’s favourite conversational topics, as his burning curiosity meant that he had an extensive playlist of artistes from all kinds of genres. Bands were not at the top of his list but he was relatively familiar with them. 

“Arcade Fire. I like the guitarist,” Seungyoon inched closer to the table. He was somewhat relieved that Mino was still interested in the conversation. It may not seem like it on the outside with his limited replies, Seungyoon was thinking really hard how to sound more exciting. He takes very long to get acquainted with a person. WIth Mino, it did not pose that much of a problem.

“Really? Wow. Do you play the guitar then? I sometimes experiment songwriting on the keyboard,” Mino leaned in closer with excitement. He loved meeting people who played instruments, as there were common frequencies to tap on.

“I played a little in university. I was in a band,”

Mino jumped up. “A band?!” He exclaimed, and Seungyoon nodded. Back in university, many felt it was absolutely ridiculous that the timid Seungyoon would form a band with three other friends. In fact, he did not even seem the type to have that many friends, let alone gather people to form a band with. Mino was somewhat exhilarated with this new piece of information, Seungyoon fascinates him. His undying levels of curiosity to find out more about this newfound friend intensified at every single minute.

“Wait for me here,” 

Seungyoon stood up and moved to another part of the waiting area, where a flight of steps awaited. He climbed up and his footsteps could be heard fading away from where Mino sat. Mino gazed out of the large windows - the clouds were billowing, the sky was turning red. There were flashes of lightning flickering between the heavy clouds; the silhouettes of trees were swaying harder than before. He probably will stay in the animal hospital until the rain subsides. He faintly hears guitar chords, and was even more eager to see Seungyoon approaching the table with his guitar.

“The guitar is a little old, and I have not played it for a while,” Seungyoon tried a few chords and began to strum the guitar naturally. He took a quick look at Mino, before closing his eyes. One deep breath, and Seungyoon played an acoustic version of YB’s A Flying Butterfly…

_Looking down this dark faceless road  
A larva I am all alone  
Crawling, praying to be something new _

Seungyoon’s singing voice was quite different from the way he spoke, it was steady and fearless. He was a genius at improvisation, and had different colours at every verse. He knew exactly when to tailor the song to his own range. His voice range was extremely versatile - he would sound like a mellow rock singer at times, yet hit really high notes without even batting an eyelid. More importantly, Mino found his heart beating wildly - he knew it was not coming from the rhythm of the song but Seungyoon’s voice. It was a voice he has never heard in his life before, and it was electrifying. The colours that were streaming from his sound were amazing, and he wished he could write him a song right now. He could not resist clapping when Seungyoon ended his mini-performance.

“That was so good! Were you the vocalist?” Mino had to know. A powerful voice like that would definitely mean that Seungyoon’s role in the band had something to do with his vocal prowess.  
  
“Me? No, I was the guitarist,” Seungyoon’s bony fingers ran across the body of the guitar and continued, “I never sang once to anyone before. I usually play my guitar to the pets who had to stay here for a few days. You are... my first human,” His lips twitched a little in embarrassment. Seungyoon had wanted to express how thankful he was to be able to meet someone that could converse with him.

“I...I am your first human audience?!” Mino never knew his face could turn red at such a sentence said by a man. The words “First human” came across to him as something only the likes of Jhonny would say if she could talk. The peculiar way Seungyoon used to distinguish between humans and animals was unbelievably adorable. How much courage Seungyoon must have mustered to do something so out of the blue. On top of that, a bashful person like him performed to a stranger he had just met today.

“Y...yeah,” Seungyoon’s cheeks were flushed too.

“Thank you for the gift. I am really very honoured,” Mino took a huge exaggerated curtsey, and for the very first time ever, he saw Seungyoon’s lips parted into a smile. That in itself, was a much greater gift than the voice. Mino let out a soft gasp - that meek smile was gorgeous. Seungyoon himself was taken aback by his own reaction and covered his mouth with his palm, his cheeks were burning red. He lifted the other hand and he apologised, looking down shyly. Mino chuckled at the sudden cuteness. He never knew “cute” could be an adjective to describe a guy until he met Seungyoon. This strange fleeting feeling of pink lurking in the atmosphere seemed mutual.

“It feels different to perform to a person,” Seungyoon continued, his fingers rubbing his chin. He was trying to take in all of these new and sudden experiences, and while he felt uneasy trying to comprehend these feelings, he did not dislike them either.

“How does it feel?” Mino asked. He enjoyed exploring conversations like these. It never mattered to Mino if the person had problems describing it to him, he always knew how to connect the dots. 

“It’s a mix of nerves and anticipation,” Seungyoon responded, after pondering for a while.

“You feel alive when you sing, don’t you? I can hear that zest hidden under your voice. I liked how you sang the song in your own comfortable way. The bridge was remarkable, particularly the way you smoothly transitioned to the chorus. It was refreshing to hear this rendition. I never knew I could appreciate this song in a new light. Also, it’s amazing how you built up the climax with that voice! I mean, I work in the music industry so I definitely know a gem when I hear one! It’s really that good,” Mino replied, his arms up in the air with excitement. 

Seungyoon blushed at Mino’s words. He was expecting him to be patronising, to give very vague comments like “You sang well”. Instead, he found himself absorbed in Mino’s detailed comments as he continued to. Mino’s words seemed to create worlds, and they were vivid.

“...Thank you,” 

“We should totally collaborate on a song next time!” Mino suggested excitedly. Inspiration struck and he scribbled them on a notepad he pulled out from the side-pocket of the work apron.

“Ah, I don’t think my voice is that…” Seungyoon was flustered. He was, after all, not expecting the sudden turn of events. It was never his dream to be a singer; it was a way to relieve stress for Seungyoon.

“When a producer says your voice is amazing, it is,” Mino grinned as he pointed to himself. “Oh but I do not make the decisions myself. Even if we really do end up with a collaboration, my agency has to approve the final song for commercial release. That said, I will send you the completed demo even if the higher-ups reject the song,” He explained as he continued to draw the chords out on the notepad.

Seungyoon nodded awkwardly. He watched Mino record the melody with the phone’s voice recorder - Was that how he composed his songs? What do his songs sound like? What kind of songs did he write? He gradually found himself wanting to know more about this person more. Not wanting to impose on him further, Seungyoon stood up after stealing a glance at the analogue clock on the wall.

“I will go check on Jhonny. You can take her home, once I give her the all-clear,” Seungyoon gestured to the room and put on his coat before entering. Mino nodded, and kept his notepad. This strange encounter with the vet should be coming to an end then. He tore a page from his notepad and scribbled down his contact number and his Seoul studio address, lest the collaboration he was about to propose to his company gets approved.

Just then, Mino found himself asking questions he could not find answers to. He knew a part of him inside just wanted to stay in this place longer, and he wanted to spend more time knowing Seungyoon. He wanted to listen to him talk, or rather, he was content to just hear Seungyoon’s voice.

He looked out of the glass windows and started to laugh, his right hand ruffling the back of his head, somewhat in disbelief. The universe definitely does work in wondrous ways - it started pouring mercilessly, the glass windows became large panels of cascading water. There were periods of bright lightning flashes accompanied by distant rhythmic pitter-patter of raindrops.

Seungyoon’s light footsteps paced hurriedly out of the room, and he caught sight of the downpour. His eyes closed abruptly at the sudden lightning flash and he retreated anxiously. He looked around for Mino reflexively - there he was, standing by the wooden table, Mino’s eyes were fixated on him. He knew something was amiss.

“Are you okay?” Mino asked out of concern. Seungyoon’s startled reaction reminded him of Jhonny, who would hide behind the wall whenever there was thunder. She was scared of the deafening sound as she was unable to anticipate when it would arrive. She would follow Mino closely around the house, her tail slightly arched, and she would brush against his legs with her body whenever he stopped. Mino would interpret it as a signal of distress, and he would carry her in his arms. They would watch some television together, and wait for the thunder to subside. Jhonny calms down when she hears Mino talking to her, and while she may not understand human language, she knows she is safe in his arms. Mino was used to settling Jhonny’s astraphobia. What about Seungyoon? Should he head over to comfort Seungyoon? Should he offer to stay with Seungyoon until the rain stops? Mino walked three steps ahead and stopped. 

_Seungyoon...is not a cat._

“...Uh… Yeah, I guess. That sudden flash of lightning came without warning, that’s all,” Seungyoon unconsciously let out a frown. He was not used to being around with a stranger when there was thunder and lightning - he had no idea if it was even appropriate to tell Mino that he was scared of lightning - it all felt too exposing. After all, Seungyoon always had his noise-cancelling headphones whenever it rained, and he would cover his eyes with an eye mask. Those two astraphobia essentials were in his bedroom upstairs.

Seungyoon averted Mino’s gaze abruptly. His hand was resting on the rounded edge of the reception counter, the protruding bony knuckles looking a little pale, as if he was exerting a lot of force on them. Mino could tell that he was struggling, and approached him slowly.

“I think you need…” Mino was about to suggest that Seungyoon stay away from the waiting room and head to an area with no windows to wait the thunderstorm out. 

Before Mino could finish his sentence, another bright flash torched across the room. Seungyoon hid under the counter at once, and covered his head under his arms, in a brace position. Mino rushed to the reception counter, and witnessed Seungyoon quivering in fear. He dropped to his knees and held Seungyoon’s shaking hands - they were pale and freezing. Seungyoon’s eyes trailed to where Mino’s fingers were; his irises were welling up with tears, his eyelashes were wet. His helpless downcast look screamed for help.

  
“You can get through this. I will be here, until you feel better,” Mino sat down cross-legged in front of Seungyoon and brought his head to his shoulders, and like how he had always soothed Jhonny, he rubbed Seungyoon’s back in slow rhythmic waves. Seungyoon’s ears picked up the steady heartbeat as his head perched over Mino’s left shoulder.

“Seungyoon, breathe…,” Mino whispered softly. The warmth of his chest, and his gentle touch, and that low voice that reverberated out of his chest washed Seungyoon’s fears away like waves on fragile sandcastles. The throbbing headache that he had always felt when he tensed up was fading away. There was a faint scent of bergamot on Mino’s neck. That too, gave Seungyoon some peace in his whirring mind.

“I…” Seungyoon whispered. It just dawned on him that he was resting on Mino’s shoulders - his heartbeat and breathing sounds were ringing loudly in his right ear. If he were to have hypersensitive hearing, Seungyoon was almost sure he could even hear blood darting across the jugular artery. The closeness would have driven him hysterical on normal occasions but there was something special in Mino that was preventing his defence mechanism from acting up. He did not even mind that the skin on his neck was touching Mino’s.

“Are you feeling better?” Mino asked. 

_Would he let go if I said I was okay?_

Seungyoon found himself in a situation where he was presented an opportunity to be selfish, that he could tell a lie and he gets to receive more comfort from Mino. It did not occur to him as weird that he was being hugged by a man for the first time in his life. The strength that he received from a simple gesture like that far surpassed the queasiness he thought he would have felt from the proximity.

“Should I tell you the truth?” Seungyoon asked meekly. He could hear Mino breaking into a wide grin. There was a soft chuckle, and it was making Seungyoon all fuzzy inside.

“Do you want to?” Mino teased. He was somewhat taken aback at Seungyoon’s naivety, and it delighted him to know that Seungyoon was bouncing back to normal quicker than he had expected. Seungyoon’s fluffy hair was all Mino could see in this position - there was no way to find out Seungyoon looked when he said those words. It all felt like a sudden love confession to Mino - that someone like Seungyoon, who had often struggled to find the words to continue a conversation, had expressed a want to stay longer in this moment. The part of him wanting to lie thrilled Mino - it was true, Seungyoon’s unexpected childlike response was irresistibly adorable.

“Not...really,” Seungyoon replied softly, his head drooped a little. Mino laughed and placed his hands on Seungyoon’s hair. He ran his fingers through the bouncy strands and ruffled them. His index finger trailed down Seungyoon’s spine, as if drawing a line with his body as the canvas. Seungyoon arched instinctively as the finger reached the middle back, he let out a muffled moan as he buried his face against Mino’s left shoulder.

“Here?” Mino trickled down further, and arrived near the tailbone. Seungyoon almost put up a minor resistance but was held down by Mino’s left hand. He could feel every single pore that Mino touched with his fingertip. Mino circled and traced the area around the tailbone slowly, causing Seungyoon’s body to convulse uncontrollably.

“What...What are you doing?” Seungyoon faced Mino in the eye, his face flushed with panic and confusion.

Mino smirked.  
“Should I tell you the truth?”

“Well...yes,” Seungyoon nodded.

“As far-fetched as it sounds, I like...being with you. I like the way you look at me, and my eyes seem to follow you around without me realising it. I just keep looking for you, when you are not around. I love talking to you. The way you react to me teasing you is absolutely irresistible. I want to spend more time with you, and I love touching you. I want to try it. I want to turn ‘us’ into a reality. I am confessing my feelings for you. You can reject it if you really dislike it,”

Seungyoon was silent for a while.  
Things were advancing at the speed of light.

_What was it that I just heard?_

“I… need time,” Seungyoon replied. He did not reject the proposal flatly simply because...he could not bring himself to. Seungyoon was aware that somewhere inside of him, he felt something too - he wanted time to figure out on his own what that feeling was. He was very sure that Mino was different, he was able to approach him in ways Seungyoon had never realised possible. He had wanted to get accustomed to all of these new sensations that he had encountered today with this person before deciding if he wanted their relationship to become a possibility.

“Of course you do. We should take our time with this,” Mino agreed, and gave Seungyoon a hug. 

“It is okay to hug you, right? I love hugs,” Mino declared, and gave a goofy smile.

Seungyoon relented and returned the hug. The fuzziness felt from the hug was extremely foreign to Seungyoon - it was definitely very different from the hugs he had experienced before. The sensation from Mino’s fingers touching his back felt like tingling sparks. Seungyoon recalled hugging his friend from university when his team won best dressed for a Halloween party, and it was not too pleasant. It felt forced upon and he had no idea where to place his arms. He was also hugged by a middle-aged woman in winter when he resuscitated her puppy from a snow mound - he did not fancy that hug either.

“I…do not dislike this,” Seungyoon muttered.

“That’s a double negative. Let us be honest to one another, Seungyoon. We should avoid speaking in double negatives,” Mino pointed out.

“I like it. It is comfortable,” Seungyoon could feel blood rushing to his cheeks like an ignited fuse to a trail of dynamites. He buried his face in embarrassment. He had never felt at ease during a thunderstorm - the lightning flashes frighten Seungyoon. He could hear the sound of muffled rain from the windows.

“I know, right! Hugs are the best. How did you get by all these while? It rains so much in June and July,“ Mino wondered aloud. 

“If the thunderstorm occurs in the day, I will close the hospital temporarily and work behind those doors. I made it a habit to check the weather a day before. If it happens at night, I will head upstairs. There are no windows in the loft,” Seungyoon was back to his calm self, his words were articulated properly. Mino could hear the difference - Seungyoon sounded more relaxed now.

“It must have been so scary to deal with this alone,” Mino patted the back of Seungyoon’s head.

Seungyoon said nothing to Mino’s words. It was terrifying to struggle with this inexplicable fear for lightning - he had consulted several doctors but they were not able to diagnose the root of the problem. There was no known past psychological trauma; it was entirely physiological. It just happened one day when he was in veterinary school, and he has loathed thunderstorms since then. There was no known trigger to his phobia. Over the years, Seungyoon has taught himself to live with it. He was constantly checking the weather forecast, and he could tell from the clouds if it was going to rain today. He stayed indoors on rainy days with a lightning forecast, and he would shift his work appointments around. He also had ear plugs and eye masks stashed in drawers and his bag, lest an emergency situation occurs in the middle of being outside. Seungyoon thought he had everything in check, except today. The forecast for the entire day was sunny, with only 10% chance of a drizzle. He had also checked the skies twice before heeding to Mino’s distress call. It was almost unheard of that a thunderstorm of this intensity would befall upon his area, without any apparent signs.

“You have done so well, Seungyoon. You braved through the pain like a grizzled seaman on treacherous waters. “

While it was not the first time Seungyoon had heard someone say similar things to him, it was his first finding actual strength from them. It could have been Mino’s voice and his way of pacing his words like lyrics to a song. Seungyoon found his words honest, and appropriate.

Mino let out a soft sigh. He looked up at the ceiling for a while, stringing up the words to tell the wounded heart. 

“The next thunderstorm, you will not feel alone. I will try to cheer you up. Even if you are afraid and your hands are shaking, try to send me a text. I will call you,” Mino slipped the torn page into Seungyoon’s pocket and nudged his neck with his nose. Seungyoon flinched but he did not react as abruptly as before. It all felt like he was receiving five years’ worth of affection in a short span of an hour - while it was overwhelming to take everything in at once, it did not feel burdensome. He told himself that he had to get used to the increased skinship quickly, as it was becoming apparent that Mino fancied physical contact.

“Even if you do not call, I will tide through this. You do not have to worry too much about me,” Seungyoon replied. He appreciated the gesture but he knew a busy person like Mino might not be good at keeping promises like these. 

“I will call you too, if it rains heavily in Seoul,” Mino declared, as if he was making an important announcement.

“For?” Seungyoon broke free from the embrace and looked into Mino’s teasing face. He was puzzled why Mino would want to do that, as he was the one inflicted with astraphobia, not Mino.

“I will miss you. The relentless downpour somewhat reminds me of you now. Pick it up, if I call you,” Mino smiled as he watched Seungyoon lower his head in embarrassment. He loved how Seungyoon was relatively clumsy in love and that he did not even bother to conceal his emotions when caught off-guard.

Seungyoon was suddenly reminded why Mino was even here in the hospital for - Jhonny.

“Ah. Your cat, Jhonny,” Seungyoon tries to change the subject. He reached out for his pocket and took out his mobile phone. The waves of confession were making him dizzy. He pointed to the room, where Jhonny was resting.

“Oh? She’s given the all-clear, right?“ Mino played the video of Jhonny that Seungyoon recorded before he stepped out. She was sleeping soundly. Her breathing was calm.

“Yeah, Jhonny’s fine. She’s resting though. I guess it had been a very rough day for her. By the way, don’t you have plans tomorrow?” Seungyoon wanted to clarify that what he overheard from the conversation between Mino and his friends was true. It seemed Mino promised to return after an hour - two hours have since passed. 

“Well yeah, I am supposed to visit a museum tomorrow but with Jhonny tagging along, I will probably have to visit Busan again on another occasion,” Mino’s irises darted between left and right, as he tried to recall the schedule for tomorrow. His animated eyebrows arched playfully as he replied lazily.

“I was suggesting to take care of her, so that you can go enjoy Busan with your friends,” Seungyoon counter-proposed a plan, as he felt apologetic for taking up so much of Mino’s precious time.

“And I want to suggest that I alter my plans for tomorrow so that I may have one more day with you,” Mino explained and pursed his lips mischievously. 

“My friends will definitely understand. After all, I am doing all of this for.... love,” Mino grinned and landed a quick peck on Seungyoon’s neck. He pulled out his phone and sent a text message, typing away quickly with his dexterous long fingers.

_Maino here!_ _  
_ _It is too late. I will be spending the night here at the hospital (sniffles)._ _  
_ _Jhonny is taking a rest. She will be discharged in the morning!_ _  
_ _I will get the vet to drive me to Busan Station tomorrow._

_He owes me a huge one, kekeke.  
We will meet at 1pm for lunch!  
Bella ciao~ _

“Alright. Seungyoon, time to go up,” Mino stood up, dusted off his jeans and work-apron.

Seungyoon was taken aback. _Up?!_

“Wh… What did you just say?” His eyes grew large in bewilderment. Mino was awfully straightforward. He was neither tactless nor blunt, it felt that he was just extremely good at dropping punchines at completely random timings. He was in short, brilliantly genius at turning tables.

“Upstairs. Go to your bedroom now. I am sleeping over,” Mino showed the text that he had sent to his friends.

“What!? Don’t you think… all of these that I had experienced today…is heading a little too quickly? Shouldn’t we slow down or something?” Seungyoon was flustered. He was scrambling to put together a list of unexpected incidents that had revolved around his late night shift at the animal hospital - the thunderstorm that was not forecasted by the meteorological agency; the arrival of the orange cat allergic to varnish; the excessively attractive cat owner; the chatty charismatic cat owner; making coffee for two when an actual storm was brewing outside (unbeknownst to him); talking about music; the solo guitar performance; a music collaboration proposal; getting scouted by a song producer; the sudden love confession; not being around the essentials when dealing with astraphobia; receiving a hug in the middle of being completely defenseless; getting kissed on the neck. It made complete sense to Seungyoon right now that the next course of action Mino would probably want to suggest - to head upstairs where the bed was..

“What is happening too quickly? Oh, what were you thinking, sly Seungyoon?” Mino gave Seungyoon a very sinister look, despite sounding extremely clueless. Seungyoon was confused. Was Mino feigning ignorance at how suggestive everything sounded? Or was he overthinking every single thing right now? Does Mino actually like him, or was he just teasing around?

Mino, on the other hand, took pleasure in asking ambiguous questions to see where it would lead him to. Seungyoon’s expressions were amusing to watch too. He was stuttering in panic. 

“You...you just said you wanted to sl...sleep over. Isn’t that…” Seungyoon trailed off, his lips twitched. He was perplexed as to whether he should be asking Mino what exactly he meant by “sleeping over”.

“Yeah, you and I. We are going to sleep,” Mino nodded, and shrugged nonchalantly. He started to walk across the hall. He was humming a random tune, tapping his fingers with glee when he found the way up to the bedroom.

“S...sleep?” Seungyoon raised his voice when he saw Mino saunter past him. He dashed to the staircase and blocked Mino from heading up the stairs with his arms stretched wide.

“Wait, wait a minute. I… I don’t think I am even prepared for this,” Seungyoon swallowed hard, fretting for what was about to happen next. His head was clouded with countless possibilities, the worst-case scenario was that he was about to end up sleeping with his newfound friend. It did not really help his inner monologue when he realised they were probably going to do it raw. He squirmed when he imagined himself further - rolling on the sheets with Mino, kissing with such feral fervour. Mino was all over him, his fingers were exploring and venturing into spots he never knew would take him to such pleasurable heights. It was his first time, and he had no idea what he was supposed to do. He was sitting up and thrusting wildly as if he was in a trance. That fantasy ended with a soft muffled cry as he buried his face in the pillows after a prolonged period of release. Still shuddering, he felt Mino’s fingers around him again.

_I really think I am not ready for this, Mino._

  
Mino looked at Seungyoon, and laughed. He figured out what Seungyoon was thinking this entire time - his wavering irises were probably playing a pornographic scene in his head. Seungyoon was not completely wrong, though - Mino _does_ want to sleep with him. As much as Mino wanted to mark his prey, he knew Seungyoon needed to recover from his trauma. 

“What were you thinking about? You have had a long day, right? Look, it’s still raining out there. Who knows, it might escalate to another thunderstorm again. I suggest you close your hospital for the day and head upstairs,” Mino articulated slowly.

Seungyoon nodded, and walked hurriedly away from Mino. He had to conceal his cheeks as they were burning hot from the insanely realistic fantasy that flashed past his mind thirty seconds ago. He flipped the board at the entrance and locked the entrance before proceeding to switch off the lights at the ground floor. He did a double-check at the warded animals and secured the door.

“I am heading up. You can sleep here,” Seungyoon pointed to the long couch. It still feels strange to him that Mino was not intending to do anything. 

“I will bring the sheets down…”  
  
“It’s okay. I will get them myself,” Mino pushed Seungyoon up the stairs. He caught sight of his bedroom, which was nicely tucked in a concrete corner with no windows. The parquet flooring cushioned the sound of their footsteps. The entire decor of the second floor was akin to the owner - it was chic, and minimalist. Seungyoon’s taste in furniture was very Zen - he preferred light-colored wood, and white-colored sheets. The walls were white, and he complimented the look with warm lights. 

Seungyoon took out the comforter from the wardrobe and handed it over to Mino. He showed Mino the noise-cancelling headphones and eye mask.

“I will be sleeping with these later. I will be fine alone,” Seungyoon reassured Mino one more time. Mino, however, seemed to interpret his words differently.

“Or perhaps...you’d like us to sleep together?” Mino asked, his eyebrows slightly arched.

There was a flustered look on Seungyoon again. All those devilishly passionate scenes began playing in his head again.

“We will just sleep side by side, nothing else,” Mino smiled and reassured Seungyoon.

Mino changed into Seungyoon’s lavender-scented pajamas and climbed onto the bed. Seungyoon followed shortly, and pulled the blanket closer to him. The bed seemed much smaller than before, and the proximity was driving Seungyoon crazy. The fact that Mino was now less than ten centimeters away served up as the best distraction from the pelting rain.

“Is a kiss okay?” Mino asked. 

Seungyoon nodded. It was a gentle kiss on the lips this time.

“Good night,” Mino chimed.  
He turned to face Seungyoon and closed his eyes. That was it.

Seungyoon’s eyes were wide open - he was staring at the blank ceiling with his back on the mattress, wondering if he should simply end things here.

“M...Mino-shi?” He called out Mino’s name, his shaky voice squeaked through the silence. There was no response. He breathed out his name one more time, to no avail. Seungyoon turned to face Mino - the details of his facial features could be visibly seen. It never ceased to amaze Seungyoon as to how this guy ended up sleeping on his bed.

“Do you want me to wake up?” Mino interrupted the silence with a cheeky question, his eyes still closed.

“Yeah,”

“Then you should know that I will be wide awake, and that I won’t make you go to sleep that easily. Are you okay with that?”  
  
“Yeah,"

Mino opened his eyes and pulled Seungyoon closer to him, his right hand cupping Seungyoon’s cheek, tilting his face to allow for a deeper kiss. Seungyoon let out a soft moan uncontrollably as the scent on Mino’s skin amplified. Mino’s exhaled breath brushed across his cheeks, and his skin felt like it was on fire. With those parted lips, Mino slips his tongue in and brings his body even closer. His hands caressing Seungyoon's pale skin under the clothes, and his hot and wet lips sending Seungyoon’s eyes in a disarray. Instinctively, Seungyoon’s arms hooked around Mino’s neck as he tried to reciprocate the intense kiss. He licks Mino’s lips and twirls his tip of his tongue around Mino’s, moaning into his mouth. Breathless, Seungyoon tried to break away from the kiss but Mino’s hands sent his lips towards him once more, along with it he took a deep inhale from his mouth. His sharp nose traced the line on Seungyoon’s neck, the ticklish sensation made Seungyoon head tilt slightly backwards, leaving his collarbone exposed. Mino relished at the opening, and licked the indent of the clavicle, gently tugging the soft skin with his moist lips. He filled his neck with countless messy kisses; his tongue slithered his way around Seungyoon’s ear. Seungyoon could hear a deep murmur in his right ear but he was in a complete heated daze to make out what Mino was telling him. His back arched forward as Mino licked the earlobe, his vision slightly blurred as he began to allow his body to cave in to pleasure. Seungyoon let out a soft gasp, as he tightened in anxiety the moment Mino’s long fingers found his way around the nipple.

Mino climbed up, his face now levelled with Seungyoon.“  
I can always stop if you don’t want me to,”

“...Don’t,” Seungyoon whispered and wrapped his hands tighter around Mino.

Seungyoon covered his mouth with his right hand as soon as he moaned louder this time. Mino was licking and suckling on one nipple, while teasing the other with his thumb. His body was reacting strangely to these touches, lurching forward without warning. He could feel his lower body burning, and jolting as if something was about to jump out any time now. Seungyoon was no longer capable of hearing anything else apart from his own muffled moans and Mino’s hastened breathing. His vision was filled with Mino’s crazed gaze upon him, as he slid his palm under Seungyoon’s lounge pants. Mino’s fingers find the erected member and he pushes his body even closer to Seungyoon. As he stroked unremittingly, Mino sucked Seungyoon’s warm lips hard and sent his other free hand to the back of his neck. Seungyoon could feel something building up in his lower abdomen as the strokes picked up in tempo. Like an unprecedented wave crashing onto the boulders, Seungyoon whimpered as he came hard, reeling in from the dizziness. 

“It’s your turn now, right,” He utters weakly, staring at his own erection. Mino shook his head in response. He went closer to Seungyoon’s ear and whispered in his semi-panting husky voice.

“Our turn.”

_It’s raining so hard outside.For the first time in my life,  
I want the nights to be longer; that it will rain even harder.  
That you will be here, and I will be next to you.  
Safe in your arms. _

\- End - 

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Querencia is the area in a bull ring, where the charging bull takes its stand before the bullfight. The word originates from Spanish. Querencia also means “a safe haven, a place where you get your strength from, where you are at your most authentic self”.
> 
> 2\. “Bella Ciao” was a reference to La Casa De Papel (Money Heist), a Spanish drama on Netflix that Mino had strongly recommended during Vlive and Brrrr Friends.
> 
> 3\. This chapter was submitted as part of the WINNER Fic Fest 2020.
> 
> 4\. I might add another chapter...
> 
> Special Thanks to: Beta - LuckyLikesLemons (@LuckyLikesLemon)


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